


Downtime

by Shadadukal



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-16
Updated: 2012-01-16
Packaged: 2017-10-29 15:57:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/321624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadadukal/pseuds/Shadadukal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After destroying Jabba, Han and Leia have a moment to themselves on the Falcon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Downtime

**Author's Note:**

  * For [grav_ity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/grav_ity/gifts).



> Thanks to anywhere_but_nj for the beta.
> 
> This is set during ROTJ, with references to the EU, especially Shadows of the Empire.

"Come on," Leia said, steering Han away from the cockpit of the _Millenium Falcon_ , "Chewie and Lando can handle things." She would never tell him that Luke and Lando had let the droids pilot the _Falcon_ in his absence.

"It's my ship," Han protested. "I haven't seen her in so long." Leia understood pilots by now so didn't take a jab at him about priorities.

"Can you even see properly yet?"

"I don't need to see to pilot," Han said with a cocky grin that she didn't find reassuring in the slightest. "And with that sandstorm, Chewie and Lando can't see any better than me anyway."

Stubborn, stubborn man. Grabbing him by his collar, she kissed him deeply. He was so infuriating and yet she loved him. She broke the kiss, but stayed in the circle of his arms. "You need a shower, a change of clothes and some rest. And so do I. We'll have little time to ourselves once we get back to the Fleet. Something big is in the works."

Han hesitated again. She stepped away, heading for the living quarters. She sensed Han at her back as she went for the master cabin.

"My cabin," he said, a smug grin she could hear but not see.

"Actually, it's been mine while I was staying aboard the _Falcon_. Chewie said I could take it. Lando looked disappointed, but I don't know if that was because he wanted it for himself or because he hoped I would bunk with him."

The door slid shut behind them. Leia went for her small bag. "I'll use the shower first if you don't mind," she said, kneeling to pick up relaxed work-out clothes. Offering to share the shower would make no sense as it was a sonic, lasting only seconds. Only the most extravagant of spaceships had water showers.

The refresher cubicle was ridiculously tiny but it contained all that was needed. Once she was cleaned and dressed in fresh clothes, she sent about braiding her hair. It was at times like these that she missed having Winter around. But doing her own hair was a small sacrifice and her friend's more useful talents were needed elsewhere. She parted her hair in three sections, braiding each one loosely.

When she stepped back into the main part of the cabin, Han was stripped down to his underwear. She let her gaze wander over his body, not even blushing when he grinned naughtily at her.

"You lookin' pretty good yourself, Princess," he said.

"You have such an inflated impression of your own appeal, flyboy." The hurled insult was simply habit. He knew she didn't mean it.

He walked past her, brushing against her on his way to the 'fresher. The only reason she didn't roll her eyes is that he couldn't see her.

She slipped into the bunk, exhausted. She had made a priority of finding Han in the past year. She still had gone on a few missions where her political and diplomatic skills were required to get people to join the Rebellion. That's what she was best at. Sure, she could fly a fighter, but she was leagues away from Luke or Wedge Antilles. Or Han even. And while she was a truly excellent shot, she was often considered too valuable to be sent on ground assaults. She didn't mind. Each Rebel had to go where they could best serve.

She was on the verge of sleep when Han came back and seemed to hesitate. She briefly opened her eyes and held the covers open to make it clear she expected him to join her. The bunk in the master cabin was only slightly larger than one for a single being, so their bodies pressed close to each other. She had to lie on her side, her back to the bulkhead, her front pressed against Han's body. The skin of his shoulder was warm under her cheek; she was relieved that he had recovered from fully from the hibernation.

"So what happened while I was away?" he asked in a low voice.

"Same as usual. No big victory, but no big loss either. Darth Vader killed Prince Xizor. And Luke has mastered the Force."

She didn't say that Luke had fought Vader and lost his hand. It was his story to tell.

"Wait a minute and back up a little. Prince Xizor? Please, tell me the Rebellion didn't get involved with Black Sun."

"We didn't. Just a personal disagreement between Vader and Xizor apparently."

No need to go into the details. Or to mention the death of Dash Rendar right at this moment.

"Good. So where has Luke gone?"

"Not sure. But he'll make the rendez-vous."

She was sure he would. It wasn't simple hope. It felt like a certainty to her in a way she couldn't explain. Much like her feelings for him. It was different than the friendship she felt for other trusted friends, somehow deeper. For a while, she had thought she loved him and Han the same way, but Luke didn't cause the flutter in her stomach than Han did. Luke... Luke felt almost like Winter. Like family. Like a friend she'd known forever. That was strange, as she had only met him four years ago.

She pressed herself even closer to Han, banishing thoughts of Luke and focusing on the warmth of the man she was _in love_ with. He hugged her tighter and, as she fell asleep, she felt his lips brush her forehead.


End file.
